


Buffy as Artemis, Spike as Actaeon

by thenewbuzwuzz_nonfic (thenewbuzwuzz)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Author Commentary, Community: seasonal_spuffy, F/M, Meta, Mythology - Freeform, Nonfiction, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-02-23 03:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23004721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenewbuzwuzz/pseuds/thenewbuzwuzz_nonfic
Summary: Not fic. This was the accompanying commentary to a pair of manips I made, about some parallels between Artemis and Actaeon and Spuffy. I think it can stand alone as a ship meta snippet, but I'm also linking the artwork for the full experience.
Relationships: Spike/Buffy Summers
Kudos: 1
Collections: March Meta Matters Challenge





	Buffy as Artemis, Spike as Actaeon

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Manips: Buffy as Artemis, Spike as Actaeon](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/564103) by thenewbuzwuzz. 



> Crossposting in March 2020; originally posted in November 2019 on LiveJournal and Dreamwidth. The commentary was an afterthought to the artwork post (dashed off on my phone on the way to work, and it showed), but it was well-received, so afterwards I cleaned it up a little, and here it is.

These [manips depicting Buffy as Artemis and Spike as Actaeon] were inspired by two things! [](https://thewiggins.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**thewiggins**](https://thewiggins.dreamwidth.org/) ' gorgeous "[Carnival Dream](https://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/658018.html)", where Wiggins makes this mythology reference in passing when mentioning a painting. And [](https://fancyflautist.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**fancyflautist**](https://fancyflautist.dreamwidth.org/) 's lovely Summer Solstice Free-for-all [promo banner](https://fancyflautist.livejournal.com/5219.html), which made me consider Buffy as the Moon.  
  
While skimming Wikipedia for this, I noticed a number of neat details about Actaeon that sounded relevant to Spike.  
  
So, the way I remembered the myth, Actaeon was a hunter who basically watched the goddess Artemis skinny dipping in the woods, right, so she turned him into a stag, & his own dogs tore him apart. This version of the myth gave me immediate _Into the Woods_ , "are you naked under there??" vibes. :D  
  
But I found out there are other versions too, including one where Actaeon's offence was that he bragged about being a better hunter than Artemis (Slayer of Slayers, anyone?). And I think there was also one where they hunt together and, in the workplace, feelings develop (and then Artemis is all, _no! No feelings! Die gruesomely_.)  
  
For the manip, I guess I was heavily influenced by the below two ways of interpreting the symbolism (quotes from [the Wikipedia article on Actaeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaeon)):  
  
(1) _"In Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Orsino compares his unrequited love for Olivia to the fate of Actaeon. "O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first,... That instant was I turned into a hart, and my desires like fell and cruel hounds e'er since pursue me.""_  
  
(2) _"The myth is seen by Jungian psychologist Wolfgang Giegerich as a symbol of spiritual transformation and/or enlightenment."_ (As in, you see something or someone that makes you want to tear down your current self and be reborn as someone else?? Late season 6 Spike AF.)  
  
It escaped my notice until this very moment that Artemis and Actaeon aren't actually an iconic pair of lovers. They're an iconic murderer and victim. But the parallel still seems to be so fitting because of the way Spike talks labout love as this violent overpowering force throughout much of the series. So. Hounds.  
  
Also, later I noticed that Fallowdoe uses an extended parallel between Buffy and Diana/Artemis in [chapter 8 ](http://www.arterialmatter.net/conversation.php?id=560#12498)of "Spiegel im Spiegel" (also available on FFN). It's dark and beautiful. There's graphic animal death.  
  
As for Buffy's hand... let's say it's Like That because of my clever, totally intentional plan to post imperfect art so that others will be encouraged to do the same.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, the comments on the original post made the post better - I'd particularly recommend looking at [nmcil12's comment](https://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/673660.html?thread=15044220#t15044220) if you're into the symbolism.


End file.
